John La Grou:智能电源插座

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http://dotsub.com/view/aa4a0c5a-e972-478c-a8a5-05facb493072
John La Grou:智能电源插座
这是一项改变世界的发明。 烟雾警报器可能已经在全世界挽救了 成千上万人的生命。 但是，烟雾警报器不防止火灾。
在美国，每年有超过2万人 在35万起住宅火灾中丧生或受伤。 引起这些火灾的一个主要原因就是电。 如果我们可以在电气火灾开始之前就避免它们发生， 结果会怎么样呢？ 呃，我和几个朋友琢磨出来了一个办法。
那么电是怎样引起住宅火灾的呢？ 事实表明，主要的原因是 有故障和被误用的电器和电线。 我们的发明必须解决所有这些问题。 那，不是有断路器吗？ 呃，1879年，爱迪生发明了断路器。 这是一项有130年历史的技术了。 而这正是问题所在。因为超过80％的 住宅的电气火灾 是在低于断路器的安全要求的情况下发生的。 嗯...
所以我们考虑了所有这些。然后，我们意识到 电器设备 必须要能自己和电源插座 直接通信。 任何电子设备，一个电器，一根延长线，不管是什么， 必须要能告诉电源插座， “嗨，插座， 电流太大。现在就给我断电，免得我引发火灾。” 然后电源插座需要足够智能地去做这件事。 那这是我们做的。我们把一个值10美分的电子转发器， 和一个数据标签，放在电器的插头里。 然后我们把一个便宜的，无线数据读取器放在插座里 这样它们就能通信了。 现在，每个家庭电子系统 变成了一个智能的网络。 电器的安全操作参数 被嵌入它的插头里。 如果有太多电流通过， 智能的插头就自行关闭， 从而避免另一场火灾。 我们把这项技术成为EFCI， 电气故障电路断流器
好了，再讲两点。在美国，每年 大约有2500儿童 因为触电以及和插座有关的烧伤被送入急诊室。 这让人不可思议。 一个智能的插座能避免这些伤害。 因为电源总是关闭的， 直到一个智能的插头被检测到。很简单。
除了拯救生命， 也许智能电源最大的好处还在于 节约能源。 这项发明会减少全球的能源消耗 因为它使得所有家庭和公司的每个插座 都能被遥控和自动化。 现在你可以选择通过自动循环开关大耗电设备 而削减你家的电费帐单 比如空调和暖气。 酒店等商业场所能从一个中心，或甚至一个手机 来切断未入住房间的电力。 光是在北美， 就有100亿个电源插座。 潜在的能源消耗是非常非常可观的。
到现在，我们已经申请了414项专利。 其中，有186项被批准。 还有228项正在被处理。 而且我很高兴的宣布就在三个星期以前 我们收到了第一份国际上的认可， 是2009年的CES创新奖。 所以，作为总结， 全球范围内，智能电源可以拯救成千生命， 避免上万次受伤， 还能避免亿万美元的财产损失， 每一年， 而且还能相当可观地减少全球能源消耗。 本着今年TED的会议精神来说， 我们认为这是一项强大的，改变世界的发明。 我想谢谢克里斯给我这次机会 让我能在你们面前，而且即将在全世界面前，展示这项技术。 谢谢你。 （掌声）
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John La Grou plugs smart power outlets
This is a world-changing invention. The smoke alarm has saved perhaps hundreds of thousands of lives, worldwide. But smoke alarms don't prevent fires.

Every year in the USA, over 20,000 are killed or injured with 350,000 home fires. And one of the main causes of all these fires is electricity. What if we could prevent electrical fires before they start? Well, a couple of friends and I figured out how to do this.

So how does electricity ignite residential fires? Well it turns out that the main causes are faulty and misused appliances and electrical wiring. Our invention had to address all of these issues. So what about circuit breakers? Well, Thomas Edison invented the circuit breaker in 1879. This is 130-year-old technology. And this is a problem. Because over 80 percent of all home electrical fires start below the safety threshold of circuit breakers. Hmmm ...

So we considered all of this. And we realized that electrical appliances must be able to communicate directly with the power receptacle itself. Any electrical device, an appliance, an extension cord, whatever, must be able to tell the power outlet, "Hey, power outlet, I'm drawing too much current. Shut me off now, before I start a fire." And the power outlet needs to be smart enough to do it. So here is what we did. We put a 10-cent digital transponder, a data tag, in the appliance plug. And we put an inexpensive, wireless data reader inside the recepticle so they could communicate. Now, every home electrical system becomes and intelligent network. the appliance's safe operating parameters are embedded into its plug. If too much current is flowing, the intelligent receptacle turns itself off, and prevents another fire from starting. We call this technology EFCI, Electrical Fault Circuit Interrupter.

Okay, two more points. Every year in the USA, roughly 2,500 children are admitted to emergency rooms for shock and burn injuries related to electrical receptacles. And this is crazy. An intelligent receptacle prevents injuries because the power is always off, until an intelligent plug is detected. Simple.

Now, besides saving lives, perhaps the greatest benefit of intelligent power is in its energy savings. This invention will reduce global energy consumption by allowing remote control and automation of every outlet in every home and business. Now you can choose to reduce your home energy bill by automatically cycling heavy loads like air conditioners and heaters. Hotels and businesses can shut down unused rooms from a central location or even a cellphone. There are 10 billion electrical outlets in North America alone. The potential energy savings is very very significant.

So far we've applied for 414 patent claims. Of those, 186 have been granted. 228 are in process. And I'm pleased to announce that just three weeks ago we received our first international recognition, the 2009 CES Innovation Award. So, to conclude, intelligent power can, globally, save thousands of lives, prevent tens of thousands of injuries, and eliminate tens of billions of dollars in property damage, every single year, while significantly reducing global energy consumption. In the spirit of this year's TED Conference, we think this is a powerful, world-changing invention. And I'd like to thank Chris for this opportunity to unveil our technology with you, and soon the world. Thank you.
(Applause)